SAN BERNARDINO - Four defendants remain in the case against a group of sheriff's deputies accused in a decade-long pay scandal.

The San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office originally charged seven people with felony charges tied to a scam involving the falsification of training documents for increased pay and retirement benefits.

But charges against two men have since been dropped, and a third man has accepted a plea bargain.

"Last Friday, (former Cpl.) David Pichotta accepted our plea offer and entered a plea of guilty to grand theft, as a misdemeanor," said Chris Lee, a spokesman for the District Attorney's Office.

Pichotta has since retired from the Sheriff's Department.

Charges of perjury and conspiracy to commit a crime were dismissed as part of the plea bargain.

On Friday, prosecutors also dismissed charges against Lt. Russell Wilke of perjury, attempted grand theft of personal property and conspiracy to commit a crime.

"After a continuing investigation and receipt of additional evidence from Mr. Wilke and his attorney, we concluded that we no longer had enough evidence to continue forward with the prosecution of Russ Wilke." Lee said. "Therefore, the counts against Mr. Wilke were dismissed."

Wilke remains employed with the department.

In July, prosecutors dropped charges of perjury and the grand theft against retired Lt. Bill Maddox.

The remaining defendants - retired sheriff's Capt. Hobart Gray, who commanded the sheriff's Yucaipa station; his wife and former sheriff's training specialist Angela Gray; retired Assistant Sheriff Michael Stodelle; and former training specialist specialist Sallyann Christian - are accused of conspiring to have their names placed on attendance rosters at the sheriff's training academy in Devore for classes they never attended.

They were given credit for the classes and received pay raises and additional retirement benefits after receiving advanced certifications from the state Commission on Peace Officers Standards and Training, officials said.

As training specialists at the academy, Angela Gray and Christian facilitated the process by instructing employees at the academy to place the names of the defendants on the attendance rosters, according to the indictment.

The alleged thefts, ranging from $2,000 to $100,000 per defendant, date as far back as 2001, officials said.

The defendants were indicted in 2011 after a criminal grand jury inquiry.

The remaining four defendants face anywhere from three years, eight months to five years, eight months in prison if convicted on all charges.

Christian, Stodelle and both Grays are expected back in court on April 12.